OwlKappella, formally called Kennesaw State A Cappella, is a fairly new group on campus in only their second year. Their musical line up is diverse with songs from Beethoven to Michael Jackson and Jerry Lee Lewis to Sam Smith. For those unfamiliar with the style, a cappella is musical performance comprised entirely voices. None of the thirty-plus members wield any kind of musical instrument other then their own vocal talents, and OwlKappella prides itself on the uniqueness that each of its members brings to the table.
The group was founded after KSU students Aria Davis discovered the university didn’t have an a cappella group. Davis worked hard and spent hours on contracts, petitions, meetings and constitutions to make her dream a reality.
“Each semester keeps getting better,” Davis said. “Including the new members, arrangements, and the overall attitude.”
After auditioning, the members take part in one of two groups, the competition team and the street team. The street team has 32 members, while the competition team is smaller with 13 members. Both groups participate in regular rehearsals and a cappella festivals like SoJam 2015 held this past December in Atlanta.
They work hard to develop both their own vocal abilities and the their ability to harmonize spontaneously. At SoJam 2015, OwlKappella members were divided up and grouped with other vocalists and asked to sing with them. The group’s Facebook page shows the skills of the members in their on-the-spot-performance. This is not the only example of the groups spur-of-the-moment performance though.
As a part of their mission to build community, OwlKappella spent a day singing for the elderly at various assisted-living homes. At the end of a long day, the group celebrated by singing again! They recorded one of their favorite versions of Silent Night to share on social media.
Led by the groups’ founder and president, Aria Davis, who also arranges many of their songs, both groups continue to develop new repertoire in hopes of competing nationally and internationally. They do not only work on the music together though. The members spend time studying and keeping their GPA’s up.
Coming from all different majors and disciplines, OwlKappella joins together based on three primary values: character, professionalism, and love. First,each member must remember they are representing the organization and always treat others will fairness and understanding. The group also focuses on professionalism, meaning at all times they hold every member to a high standard. They also see music as a craft that needs to be nurtured, and loving music and yourself is the way to accomplish that.
While they don’t claim to be just like the movie “Pitch Perfect,” they consider themselves one big family, even though they are split into two groups.
On Feb. 13, the OwlKappella group will be participating in the ICCA competition, also known as the International Championship of Collegiate a Cappella. The competition will be held at Morton Theatre in Athens at 7 p.m. For more information about upcoming shows, competitions, or how to join, visit OwlKappella’s website at http://ksuacappella.wix.com/acappella.
